Shall we swim?
by Dumbledoreschild
Summary: A picnic, a book and a sneaky friend ties in to finally get the couple to be together. COMPLETED


Shall we swim? 

It was smack dab in the middle of the summer and by far the HOTTEST day of the year. In fact the temperature had broken the all time record of 111 degrees and was currently 113 degrees, it was murder.

Not a single person in the entire Hogwarts castle was working, none but one. Minerva McGonagall, the strict transfiguration professor was sitting in her stuffy office making the curriculum for next semester and making a list of all of the first years that would join the school. This woman was relentless. She was so determined to finish the scroll of first years that would be arriving in September that she did not even notice the drop of sweat that dripped off of her nose and landed on the name 'Burford, Rachel'. If anyone has seen how many first years come than you will know that this is no ordinary list, it is long and when I say long I mean LONG. The parchment at the moment was rolling off of Minerva's desk and was sprawled out on thefloor.

Minerva was scribbling down the names and her writing kept getting faster and faster until she stopped. The quill dropped out of her hand and landed on the full piece of parchment and her head voluntarily fell onto her desk creating a soft 'clump' that would have echoed off the walls if the heat were not so dense. She had finished. "Thank Merlin" she said out loud.

She stayed that way lying on her desk, eyes closed until she heard a slight creek of the door opening and a quiet 'ahhmmm'.

Minerva's head distinctively snapped up causing a very audible cracking of her neck. "Ouch" she whispered to herself. "Hello Albus how are you?" Minerva asked lightly rubbing the back of her neck. Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Minerva's best and dearest friend was standing in the doorway smiling. He was wearing baby blue robes with pictures of blowing winds on them. His half moon spectacles were perched on the crook of his nose. His beard was longer then ever and was currently tucked into the belt of his trousers.  
"Hello my dear, I am fine thank you." Albus answered with a slight bow of his head. "Pardon my asking but what may I ask are you doing?" Albus asked with concern and slight amusement in his voice.  
"What do you mean, what does it look like I am doing?" Minerva snapped back, heat this intense usually made her very cranky and Albus' amusment got on her nerves.  
"My dear I mean it is over 110 degrees and you are sitting here in the steaming hot classroom working out next years curriculum. You should be outside, or at least have some form of air conduction in this room; you can hardly breath in here.

The curriculum is not due for another two months." Albus pointed out "Yes Albus I am VERY much aware about when the curriculum is do and for your information, I have just finished." Minerva said sounding a little bit annoyed.

At this statement Albus clapped his hands together and swiftly made his way from his position at the door and maneuvered his way between the desks until he was in front of Minerva's desk. "Fabulous" he said simply, he had a mischievous grin on his face, the kind of grin that he got when he had things in store that was, usually, strange and childish. Minerva knew this grin all to well, and she knew that it had only meant a lot of trouble in her case.  
"What do you want Albus, I am tired, and I am very hot and cranky so if you will please get to the point I would very much appreciate it?" Minerva said tiredly, yet forcefully. Albus' grin only grew broader, Minerva had no time for this, all she wanted to do was take a nice COLD shower and read her new romance novel that she had received for Christmas but had yet to even explore the first page. Minerva got impatient as Albus just stood there smiling so she tore her eyes from him and began to role up the LONG scroll of names that she was working on. When the final edge of the parchment was rolled up and in Minerva's hands Albus the opportunity and hopped up onto the desk, startling Minerva so much that the parchment fell out of her hands and hit the cement floor almost silently.

"Albus, what in Merlin's name are you doing"  
"What do you mean my dear!" asked Albus as if he had not even noticed that he had jumped on top of his deputy headmistress' desk.  
Minerva was angry now "Albus you just jumped...I have NO time for your childish games when it is THIS hot out and when I am THIS tired and when there are SO many OTHER things that I wish to be doing at the moment!" with that she bent down and picked up the scroll that was currently lying on the ground and stood up to meet two HUMUNGOUS puppy dog eyes. "NO albus I am busy, come back and see me when you have come out of adolescence!" Minerva said, trying her hardest to sound firm and angry when on the inside she was melting. But she was not melting under the heat; she was melting under those big, beautiful, blue eyes that held so much love and passion.

Minerva McGonagall had been in love with Albus Dumbledore since the first moment that they said their hellos. She absolutely goes weak in the knees when he smiles at her or when he offers his arm to escort her to dinner, or when he kisses her on the cheek every night after he escorts her to her rooms or when they get caught under the mistletoe, or when his eyes formed into two huge, swallowing orbs like they were now.  
She, as she had always done under those begging eyes, surrendered "what do you want Albus"  
Albus knew that Minerva could never turn away from him while he was in 'I am a cute puppy dog mode'. "Well my dear I have come to ask you on a date." Albus asked in the most serious of voices yet the most kindly of voices.  
"A date?" Minerva asked unbelievingly "Yes, a date"  
"Exactly what king of date are you inquiring?" Minerva asked trying her hardest not to jump up and down and yell, "YES. HE LOVES ME HE LOVES ME HE LOVES ME..." But this excitement in her was quickly distinguished by his answer.  
"A friend date. I and and group of close friends will be having a picnic by the school lake and I was hoping theat you will take time out of your oh so busy schedule and accompany me"  
"Oh, no thank you Albus, I am afraid that I cannot take time out of my'Oh So Busy Schedule' to come on a little rendezvous with you and some of your "close friends"." Minerva stated half disappointed by getting her hopes up and by thinking that Albus Dumbledore might possibly feel the same way that she feels and half angry that he DID crush all of her hopes of more than a platonic friendship.

Albus was taken aback by her forceful decline. He was very confused and also very disappointed for he had been looking forward to spending the day with Minerva. He was looking forward to it too much that he was not going to give up until he heard the words 'yes Albus, I would love to go on a picnic with you and your friends'. But what she did not know was that she was also friends with his friends, infact these friends were her fellow employees.

Minerva started to move away from her desk with her head lowered when she felt an arm come across her chest in a stopping motion.  
Minerva sighed, she was WAY to tired for this, "please let me go Albus." Minerva said in a whimpy sort of surrendering voice that very few people EVER heard out of her mouth.  
"NO my dear, I will NEVER let you go!" Albus said very firmly and very lovingly, so lovingly that Minerva thought that her hopes may not entirely be crushed. She looked up into Albus' eyes and began to melt all over again and once again she surrendered, "Who are these friends of your Albus?"

Albus' face once again broke into a huge grin. "Well as a matter of fact these friends are you co-employees. We will be joined by Severus, Poppy, Hagrid, and Rolando. We are planning on going outside, taking a peaceful walk to the lake, and resting under the huge oak tree while snacking on a delicious lunch whipped up by our very own house elves. I promise, you will enjoy youself and it will give you a chance to get away from this ghastly heat and relax under the shade of the oak. You may even bring that new romance novel that, if I do remember correctly, that you received for Christmas and have yet to even open the cover! I would most apprieciate it." With that Albus once again scrambled his face to resemble a lost puppy.

Minerva considered it and then silently nodded her head in recognition and in a yes. Albus' grin could not have been any bigger, if it was any bigger than Minerva was afraid that he could have swallowed his entire face.  
"Splendid, I will be by to pick you up in one hour time"  
"Alright, I will be ready at that time" Minerva said and with that Albus jumped off of the desk and made his way out of the classroom.

Minerva just stood, planted in the same exact place for what seemed like hours, just thinking and hoping that she was not making a HUGE mistake.  
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When the clock struck 12:00 (the exact time that Albus had asked to meet) there was a soft knock at the door. Minerva grabbed her book off of her nightstand and made her way to the door. She opened the door and for the first time that day, and smile escaped from her lips. Albus was wearing a pair of muggle, khaki, knee length shorts with a Hawaiian button up shirt. He was also holding a beautiful woven picnic with a red rose sitting on top. She stared at the red rose wondering what or who it could be for when Albus tore her out her trance.  
"It is for you my dear," said Albus motioning to the rose with his eyes. He put the basket on the ground and picked up the red rose and took a step toward Minerva. Minerva's breath caught when she looked up into his eyes and was mesmerized but the beautiful twinkle. Albus placed his hand on Minerva's, brought it up to his face and kissed it. He then opened her hand and placed the rose into it. As Minerva's fingers closed around the rose she could not help but think about how happy he made her, and how he always gave her the shivers when he called her my dear. It took every last bit of power and control to tear her eyes from the face of the one that she loved, but she did. She put her heard down and stared at the rose residing on her hand and quietly whispered "thank you Albus" for those were the only words that she could muster.

Albus was the first to recover from this trance, "you are very welcome my dear." He picked up the basket with his left hand and offered his other arm to Minerva, "shall we begin"  
Minerva had also recovered, but not completely. Her smile was as broad as Albus' had been before at that point "yes, lets."

Then they began their journey through the corridors and down the staircase into the great hall where they saw Severus Snape, Poppy Pomfrey, Rubeous Hagrid, and Rolando Hooch all standing, chatting politely, waiting but the front doors.

Albus and Minerva made their way so that they we standing with the group. "Are we all ready to go?" Albus asked happily, everyone turned around to face the pair. "Hello Albus, hello Mi... what in the world are you wearing Minerva?" Rolando Hooch asked in shock. Minerva was taken aback but this statement and looked down at herself and what she was wearing. Minerva was wearing a long, floor length, black dress with a dark green cloak draped over her shoulders and her hair was in her famousMcGonagall tight bun.  
"Well Rolando I do not see the need to expose myself any more than normal just because you and the temperature do not agree with my wardrobe, unlike you I see." Minerva said flatly as she looked at what Poppy, and Rolando were wearing.

Poppy was dressed in a pair of jean shorts that fell just above her knees and a short sleeve light purple shirt with her hair in a ponytail. Rolando was in a jean skirt with a black spaghetti strap shirt with her hair spiked (as usual). Hagrid had also changed his wardrobe. He had disposed of his heavy fur jacket and was wearing a simple brown T-Shirt.

"So, why do you care what I am wearing, can't we just go?" Minerva asked and Poppy and Rolando looked at each other and then back at Minerva with mischief in both of their eyes. Once again Minerva knew that those looks meant trouble and by the way that they were directed towards her, they meant trouble for here. "What are you staring at me like that for, I refuse to change my clothing and that is final." Minerva said angrily, her Scottish temper flaring.  
"Oooh REALLY" said Rolando slyly "then what would happen if I did this?" Rolando snapped her fingers and Minerva's cloak went flying off of her shoulders and her long black dress was replaced by a light green, knee length sun dress with tank top shoulder straps. Minerva screeched.  
"ROLANDO EXAVIORE HOOCH WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN DO YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE DOING, GIVE ME BACK MY PROPER CLOTHING THIS INSTANT"  
"Well let me think about this...Poppy what do you think that I should do?"Rolando asked innocently.  
"Well Rolando I think that I should help!" Poppy stated firmly and walked in front of Minerva.  
"Thank you Poppy, I always knew that you...AHHHHHHH!" Minerva screeched again for Poppy (like Rolando had done) snapped her fingers and Minerva's hairpins flew out of her hair, allowing a river of hair to stream down Minerva's back.

Albus' breath caught as he watched the entire scene unfold. He watched in wonder as Minerva's dress was turned into a beautiful sundress that hugged all of the right curves in all of the right places. That alone made his mouth water and his hands begin to sweat, but then when her hair fell in cascading, silky locks down her back, Albus had felt like he had fallen in love all over again. She looked like an angel. Albus had always seen Minerva as his angel, his best friend, and as his one true love. He had loved Minerva since the first time that they muttered their hellos. Albus was entranced, he wanted to tell Minerva how he felt about her, but he did not know how she would take the information of her boss falling in love with her. He knew that there was absolutely NO way in the muggle or magical world that Minerva McGonagall, his Guardian angle could possibly be in love with him. Minerva pleading with him pulled Albus back to reality.  
"Albus can I please change back, tell them NOW they had no right, you are the boss, fire them!  
"Fire them, my dear don't you think that that may be a little extreme. Why don't you just change back yourself, you have magic as well!" Albus said and raised both of his eyebrows at her. Minerva blushed for she had not thought of that simple conclusion.  
"Oh right' she said and she turned and sneered at Poppy and Rolando a sneer that Severus Snape was actually very proud of.

Minerva searched her knew dress for her wand and found nothing. "Where is my wand?" At this Poppy retreated to the back of the group and behind Hagrid so that she could be hidden, but Rolando just stood there grinning. "I should have known, well to bad for you, I know wandless magic!" Minerva stated in an 'I am full of my self and I am better than you tone of voice.

So she (as Poppy and Rolando had done) snapped her fingers and her outfit did change, it got shorter.  
"AHHHHHHHH" Minerva screamed jumping away from Albus' arm, which she had not realized, was still wrapped in his. The dress was now a little longer than the middle of the thigh.

"You see Minerva, I learned a little trick that enables me to put a timing and, as you have noticed, a penalty on any article of clothing that you wish to ware"  
"Really and what exactly is the timing of this so called trick?" Minerva asked angrily, despritly, and incredulously.  
"Well, until I am satisfied" Rolando answered as if she was asked a stupid question.  
"And what may I ask, Oh mighty one, will satisfy you"  
"You will go on this picnic and if what I think will happen happens, then the spell will be broken. It is as simple as that" Rolando said.  
"What do you think is going to happen?" asked Minerva actually sounding curious.  
"Well let us go and if it happens you will know!" With that Rolando turned, opened the great doors and exited followed by a cowering Poppy, a confused Hagrid, and then Severus who really did not care what had happened.  
Albus and Minerva just stood there for a moment or so before Albus bent down and picked up the picnic basket and then offered his arm to Minerva who took it hesitantly.  
Minerva received a set of shivers down her back as Albus bent down and whispered into her ear "you look beautiful my dear" and then they followed the others onto the ground and into the steaming sun.  
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Ahalf an hour later everyone had made it to the giant oak by the lake and Minerva had nearly forgotten all about her fashion state. She did not want to admit it but she was actually having fun. Everyone was laughing and making stupid, horrible jokes that made them even funnier. Once everyone was sitting down under the shade provided Albus took a red and white checkered tablecloth and spread it evenly over the ground in the middle so that everyone could get to it easily. He then reached his hand in and gulled out a container of roast beef, salad, corn on the cob and a large tray of hotdogs. Everyone (minus Albus) looked at the tray of hotdogs curiously, for hotdogs was a muggle food and they had never seen a hotdog before.  
"This" Albus said motioning over to the tray of hotdogs "is one of my favorite muggle dinners called hotdogs, it is just meat in a bread bun. Try it!" Everyone hesitantly took one off of the tray and took a bite (Hagrid ate it all in one bite for hotdogs are not the largest thing in the world)  
"So what do you think? The house elves were quite confused when I asked them to produce these hotdogs"  
"There great","I never thought that I would like muggle food", "Yum", "Not bad" "It would be better if it had something on it" were the replies.

Another half an hour went by and the picnic basket was empty and everyone was sitting in a comfortable and full silence. Minerva was just about to open her book when Rolando suddenly jumped up and said, "I am going swimming"  
Everyone was pulled out of their silence by this abrupt statement and everyone watched in mild surprise as Rolando snapped her fingers and her outfit turned into a black two-piece. She took off her shoes and started running towards the lake. There was a semi long drop off but to Rolando that just made it even more exiting. She reached the edge and she jumped "SPLASH". Everyone rushed over to see what had happened and ton see if she was OK but they saw nothing when they reached the cliff.  
"ROLANDO" Minerva called in a panic "ROLANDO CAN YOU..." she was cut off by Rolando pushing up and through the surface of the water. Minerva let out a sigh of relief "Rolando you scare the bageisus out of me are you alright?" But Minerva's question was answered by a huge round off giggles. Rolando started swimming and splashing around.  
"Come on guys, the water feels great" Rolando yelled up to everyone.  
"Don't be preposterous, we are not children. Do you honestly expect us..." "SPLASH" Minerva was once again cut off but Poppy, Severus, Hagrid, and (to Minerva's surprise) Albus jumping into the water. They all started laughing and splashing each other.  
"Come in Minerva", "the water is fabulous", "please join us!  
"No I refuse!" Minerva stated firmly and stomped back over to the tree, sat down, and started to read her book.

She only got to the second paragraph when she felt funny, she felt...almost naked. She looked down and saw that she was at the moment was wearing a dark blue bikini. "ROLANDO EXAVIORE HOOCH" was all that the people in the water heard before Rolando smirked to herself and then swam to shore.  
She walked up to the oak tree and saw Minerva standing up with the red and white-checkered cloth wrapped around her. Her face was so red with anger that you could not tell the difference between her face and the red on the cloth.  
"You change me back this instant!" Minerva commanded through gritted teeth "No not until I see what I need to see, and I do believe that I have the perfect chance to see that so come along." Rolando answered and walked over to Minerva and started to drag her towards the drop off.  
"NO" Yelled Minerva and she tore away from Rolando and ran back to the tree where she resumed her place on the ground and began reading her book again (she was using the rose that Albus had given her as the bookmark)  
"YES" Rolando Screamed and she pulled out her wand pointed it at Minerva and then pointed it at the edge of the drop off.

Minerva all of the sudden flew over to the edge of the drop off, book in hand, and still with the cloth draped around her. "Rolando I can't swim!" Minerva said incredulously, Rolando walked up behind Minerva grabbed the edge of the cloth that was covering Minerva and whispered, "Go get your man" and pulled at the cloth, uncovering Minerva and pushed so that Minerva went falling through the air.

"SPLASH"

Everything was spinning out of control. Minerva started to flail her arms but no matter what she did, she just kept on sinking. Minerva started to panic, she could not breath, her breath was restricted, she knew that she was going to die and the only thing that was going through her mind was, 'I will never be able to tell Albus how much I love him'. Then at that exact moment a pair of strong hands grabbed hold of her arm and her waist and brought her to the surface.  
When Minerva was above the water she started to cough and sputter out water. She did not even notice that she had a death grip on her savior. When she was finally able to get hold of her breathing she opened her eyes and met those two beautiful orbs that made her knees weak and her mouth dry, and her insides melt. Albus had saved her life. Neither of them said a single word for what seemed like an eternity they just stood their in the water, Albus was holding Minerva in his arms and Minerva's hands were wrapped around his neck. They just stared at each other, hardly blinking, hardly breathing, and wishing that they could tell one another. Their attention was torn away from each other by something floating in-between them, it was Minerva's book and the rose that served as its bookmark.

Minerva freed one of her hands and picked up the book and quickly read one of the passages that reside inside of it. Her face Finally broke into a genuine smile and that smile was directed towards Albus. Albus did not expect this and was about to ask what she had read when his mouth was suddenly covered by Minerva's. They just stood there in the water kissing each other with all of the passion that was welled up inside of them, both of them. When they finally broke apart they stared at each other, and Albus just had to know.  
"What brought that on my love"  
"Just you my love, just you" and this time Albus was the one to kiss Minerva with all of the love that he could muster, he wanted to tell her how much he loved her and in his current state he figure that actions speak louder than words.  
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On the shore Rolando, Poppy, Severus, and Hagrid all watched as their headmaster and deputy headmistress finally expressed how much they loved each other. 'That is what satisfies me' Rolando thought with a smile on her face, but one thing was puzzling her, what HAD Minerva read that made her decide what she needed to do? Her question was answered when she saw the book float up to the shore. Rolando walked over to the book, picked it up and read the passage that Minerva had read 'you don't know what you've got till it's gone so hold on to the one you love."

THE END


End file.
